The New England Patriots have the opportunity to quiet concerns of a Super Bowl runner-up drop-off when they collide with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, but they may need a healthy and effective Christian Gonzalez to do it. Well, if the last few months have told Pats fans anything it is that sub-optimal scenarios are becoming the norm in Foxborough. The star cornerback missed his second straight practice with a shoulder injury, per the team's latest report.

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Gonzalez pushed through the issue during a Week 3 blowout road loss versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his body has clearly not responded the way he had hoped. Given Drake Maye's troubling struggles in the absence of AJ Brown, the defense has to carry a big burden. The unit would have a hard time withstanding it sans No. 0.